Canine Handler Fitness Podcast

What do you want your body to be able to do next spring that it can't quite do right now?

Summer is a great time to use your fitness. Run your dogs. Trial. Hike. Travel. Get outside. Have fun and let all that work you've done actually buy you something.

But fall and winter can have a different job.

This is build time.

In this episode, we're talking about why the quieter months are such a valuable opportunity to dig into a routine and actually change your physical capacity before next season.

I'm also getting into one of the least flashy but most valuable things many handlers could build this winter: a bigger aerobic engine. We'll talk about Zone 2 training, why easy aerobic work matters even in a sport built around short bursts of effort, and how better conditioning can give you more reserve for long training days, multiple runs and recovery between harder efforts.

Plus, if running is something you'd like to build this fall, my Couch to 5K course through Fenzi Dog Sports Academy is open now. I'll help you build your running gradually, with running progressions plus the strength and injury prevention work to support it.

Fall is where we build the handler your dog is going to compete with next year.

COURSE LINK:

https://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/courses/43371

Everything I talk about on this podcast is built into the Canine Handler Fitness app. Start your free 7-day trial and put these ideas into practice.

LINK TO SIGN UP:

https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/f0/K1N57cOD2W

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If you're working out consistently but still not getting faster, stronger or more athletic, you may not need to work harder. You may need your workouts to have clearer jobs.

In this episode, I'm bringing you inside a recent coaching call with a handler who was already doing A LOT right. She was strong, fit, consistent and training six days a week.

The problem wasn't effort.

Her legs were constantly tired, her progress had stalled, and the things she wanted most, more speed, athleticism and better agility performance, weren't necessarily what her training week was set up to build.

So we reorganized it.

I'm walking you through why I separated speed training from conditioning, where I added recovery without reducing her overall training, why strength and athleticism aren't exactly the same thing, and how one small piece of movement prep can change what someone gets out of the work they're already doing.

Because every workout can be hard. Every workout can make you sweat. Every workout can make you tired.

But what is each workout actually there to build?

A good training week isn't the one that makes you the most tired. It's the one that moves you forward.

Ready to stop guessing and start training with intention? Start your free 7-day trial of Canine Handler Fitness today.

LINK TO SIGN UP:

https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/f0/K1N57cOD2W

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If you’re already running as fast as you possibly can to make a handling position, what happens when you suddenly need another gear?

In this episode, we’re talking about speed reserve, physical capacity, and why getting faster isn’t about outrunning your dog. It’s about making the speed your sport requires a smaller percentage of what your body can do.

We’ll talk about the signs that agility may be getting too close to your current ceiling, what happens when you get a faster dog, and one of my favorite client stories: after a couple months of strength and speed training, she was suddenly getting so far ahead of her dog that she started wondering if the course spacing had changed.

The course hadn’t changed. She had.

Plus, Sprint Lab enrollment closes September 21. If you want to spend the next eight weeks building more speed, horsepower and options on course, this is your last chance to join us.

LINK TO SIGN UP:

https://liz-joyce-fitnes.kit.com/7f672deda0

liz-joyce-fitnes.kit.com

If today's episode resonated with you, come train alongside us. Start your free 7-day trial and discover what purposeful training feels like.

LINK TO SIGN UP:

https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/f0/K1N57cOD2W

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Your big event is getting closer and you're realizing you probably should have started preparing your body sooner. Did you leave it too late?

If you've still got a couple of months, you have more time than you think. But what you do with that time matters.

In this episode, I'm working backwards from event day and showing you how I'd approach those final weeks as your coach. When should you still be pushing to get stronger, faster and better conditioned? When should your training become more specific? And most importantly, when do you need to stop trying to build more fitness and start getting rid of fatigue?

Because you can be incredibly fit and incredibly tired at the same time.

Whether you're preparing for the US Open, another big trial, a seminar or even a big adventure with your dog, I'll help you figure out what you can realistically improve before you get there and how to arrive ready to actually use the fitness you've built.

Fitness is built before the event. Performance is revealed at the event.

Speed is your weak link?

Sprint Lab starts September 14. We're spending eight weeks training speed, acceleration, deceleration, sprint mechanics and the transition back into agility, with a sprint video review and personal coaching priority every week.

JOIN SPRINT LAB

https://liz-joyce-fitnes.kit.com/7f672deda0

Or if you need to work on strength, conditioning, mobility or another piece of your fitness, you can try the Canine Handler Fitness All Access Pass free for 7 days.

START YOUR FREE TRIAL

https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/sales-page

And if you know someone with a big event circled on their calendar, send them this episode. November is coming whether we train for it or not.

You know where you need to be on course. So why does your body sometimes make it so damn hard to get there?

“Getting fitter” isn't a very useful goal if you don't know what's actually holding you back.

In this episode, I'm putting on my coaching hat and helping you look at your handling from a different perspective. We'll talk about some of the most common physical limitations I see in agility handlers, how to start figuring out your weak link, and one thing you can work on for each.

Because the answer isn't always “get faster.” And it definitely isn't doing more random workouts.

The better you understand what your body is struggling to do, the more purposeful your training can become.

Want to put this into practice?

Sprint Lab starts September 14. If speed and acceleration are showing up as one of your weak links, we'll spend eight weeks working on your sprinting with coaching, form reviews, weekly training and support along the way.

And if you haven't grabbed it yet, Laurren Bastian and I created the free Warm Up Together Field Guide, a simple five-minute routine to prepare both you and your dog before training or competition.

[GRAB THE FREE FIELD GUIDE]

https://liz-joyce-fitnes.kit.com/552695a6aa

Know another handler who's always saying, “I just need to get fitter”? Send them this episode. It might help them figure out what “fitter” actually needs to mean for them.

You warm up your dog before you run, but are you actually preparing BOTH athletes on your team for what's about to happen?

And does a quick walk around really count as a warm-up?

This week I'm joined by canine fitness expert Laurren Bastian to talk about what a good agility warm-up is actually supposed to accomplish for your dog and your own body.

We're talking about what should happen between standing around and stepping into the ring, how long a warm-up really needs to take, what happens when there's a delay between warming up and running, and why we think about preparation as Move → Connect → Perform.

Most importantly, we wanted to make this practical.

Laurren and I created the Warm Up Together Field Guide, a simple five-minute warm-up you can use to prepare both you AND your dog for training or competition.

Grab your free Warm Up Together Field Guide using the link in the show notes, save it to your phone, and try it before your next run.

Five minutes. Two athletes. One warm-up.

Get your Field Guide by clicking HERE!

You WANT to work out. You know you'll probably feel better afterward. So why can it still feel almost impossible to make yourself do it?

You might be calling it a motivation problem when the real problem started hours before your workout.

This week, a coaching call made me think differently about what "feeling motivated" actually feels like in the body. We talked about food, hydration, routine, decision fatigue, and what happens when you're asking an already-exhausted brain to make one more good decision.

And it led me to a question I think we should be asking much more often:

Instead of asking "How do I get more motivated?" what if we asked "How do I make motivation more likely?"

If you've been frustrated with yourself because you want to be more consistent but can't seem to make yourself do it, this episode may help you see the problem very differently.

Know someone who's always saying, "I just need to get motivated"? Send them this episode.

For more practical coaching and resources for agility handlers, visit Canine Handler Fitness.

LINK TO SIGN UP: https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/f0/K1N57cOD2W

caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co

What if eating healthier wasn't about giving things up, but about discovering foods you'll love for the rest of your life?

Most nutrition advice tells us what to stop eating.

I think there's a better question.

"What could I add?"

In today's episode, we're diving into one of the simplest habits that can have a meaningful impact on your health: increasing the variety of plant foods you eat each week.

We'll explore why diversity matters for your gut microbiome, how the foods you eat regularly may influence what your body finds satisfying over time, and why adding just one new food each week can be far more powerful than chasing another restrictive diet.

You'll learn:

• Why I focus on counting plants instead of calories.
• What researchers are discovering about plant diversity and gut health.
• How your eating habits may influence your future cravings.
• Why curiosity beats restriction every time.
• A simple challenge that can expand your diet, and maybe even change your relationship with food.

Healthy eating doesn't have to begin with guilt or cutting foods out.

Sometimes it starts with asking one simple question:

"What could I add?"

If today's episode inspired you, I'd love to hear what new plant you're trying this week. Share it with me on social media or inside the Canine Handler Fitness community!

Come see why hundreds of handlers are training differently. Your free 7-day trial is waiting.

LINK TO SIGN UP: https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/f0/K1N57cOD2W

caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co

What if getting older didn't mean becoming slower, weaker, or less capable?

In this episode, I'm sharing why I believe we've accepted far too many stories about aging that simply aren't true. We'll talk about what the science actually says, what I've learned coaching hundreds of handlers, and why I think your best athletic years may still be ahead of you.

You'll learn:

- Why strength, balance, power, and confidence are trainable at any age.

- The biggest myths I hear about aging and exercise.

- Why athleticism doesn't have an expiration date.

- How your mindset shapes your future more than your birthday does.

- The habits that help you move toward strength, independence, and joy.

If you've ever caught yourself saying, "I'm getting older," this episode might completely change the way you think about the years ahead.

Ready to stop guessing and start training with intention? Start your free 7-day trial of Canine Handler Fitness today.

LINK TO SIGN UP: https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/f0/K1N57cOD2W

caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co

Most leg workouts build stronger muscles. The best ones teach your body how to use that strength.

Today I'm letting you inside my coaching brain to show you why I built Handler Legs the way I did. We'll dive into the science of athletic development, contrast training, and why every exercise was chosen to help you move better, react faster, and become a more capable handler beside your dog.

You'll learn:

- Why agility demands more than strength alone.

- The Principle of Specificity and how it shapes every workout.

- Why I use contrast training to bridge strength and power.

- How single-leg training, balance, and coordination improve your performance on course.

- Why so many handlers feel faster and more athletic after dedicated strength training.

- The philosophy behind Handler Legs—and why strength has a purpose.

If you've ever wondered why these workouts look so different from a traditional leg day, this episode will completely change the way you think about training.

Everything I talk about on this podcast is built into the Canine Handler Fitness app. Start your free 7-day trial and put these ideas into practice.

LINK TO SIGN UP: https://caninehandlerfitness.apprabbit.co/f0/K1N57cOD2W

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